You are here

Pomelo and Honey Cake

Pomelo and Honey Cake

This is a beautiful, light fluffy cake with a sweet aromatic flavour. A similar syrupy cake is made in Asia for lovers, probably due to the sweet little hearts the pomelo segments make when peeled. I have not used the heavy syrupy cake, rather this is a light sponge which works really well with the pomelo and honey.Traditionally served with toffee and nuts on top, this cake is equally delicious with just a light dusting of icing sugar and a few segments of pomelo.

In a large mixing bowl, using a hand mixer beat the butter, sugar, lemon and pomelo zest until very light and fluffy. Add the nutmeg, salt and vanilla then add the eggs one at a time, beating well.Once the sugar is completely dissolved, add the honey and milk and combine well ensuring there are no lumps. Using creamed honey ensures a silky texture, less liquid and a more intense flavour.

Add the flour and baking powder all at once and fold through. The batter should be ribbony, but not too thick. If the batter is dense, add a splash of additional milk.Lastly add the pomelo segments, folding them through carefully.Pour the cake batter in to a lined and greased ring tin.

Bake in the middle shelf of the oven for 35 minutes, or until the sponge starts to pull away from the sides of the tin and is a deep golden colour.Leave the cake in the tin for at least 10 minutes before removing as it is a very light cake and there is a risk of it simply falling out in a pile of delicious crumbles.Allow to cool on a wire rack for about 20 minutes, then top with icing sugar and pomelo segments to serve.

If desired, make a toffee with almond flakes, 3 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons honey, a few pomelo segments and a vanilla bean, then drizzle over the finished cake. This adds a layer of additional flavour and crunch, however the soft little cake is just fine if you don't fancy making the toffee!